Mirror Master
by Punishers Apprentice
Summary: Max Scudder is Mirror Master's eldest son, cast into the Mirror Dimension as a young boy and raised by banished monsters. Max Scudder is a true Rogue. Companion piece to Master of None.


**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of DC's concepts.**

Rogue

Scott's older brother, Max lived in the Mirror Dimension for so long Scott forgot Max existed until Max used his powers over the Mirror Dimension to try to cause trouble with Scott, ultimately attempting to steal his mirror belt which didn't work because the belt is tamper proofed. In reply Scott joked "You have to wear my jacket for it to work." Max believes Scott's joke was a brag and tries to take Scott's jacket which ends in his defeat, Max escapes into the Mirror Dimension.

Later Max helped a team of legacy heroes stop a huge monster loose on Central City using monsters banished to other dimensions. Cadet Cold asked him "Why did you help?"

Max lied "I helped because 'monsters' need to be kept away from idiot humans. Not that you guys really care." Max walked away from them shrugging the team off as a bunch of punks.

Scott later annoyed Max into recanting "I hate how fast something becomes a monster. Scientists make something and when they lose control of it they play the blame game making it a monster. Sometimes I feel I'm losing a rigged game like that. There are as many good monsters as bad but no one cares about that."

Max later told Cadet Cold "A sibling will drive you nuts but you'd do anything for 'em. I guess Leonard and Lisa feel that way, he's your dad right? Like no matter what she does in the end he'll do anything for her." Max walked away.

Colby ran up to Max and said "I used to have a twin sister named Cara. I didn't get angry as I watched her die after some guy shot her. I didn't kill the guy with the gun. Actually I think I stopped feeling the day she died."

Max responds "I get it, it's like when Sam lost himself to Mirror Master. What Sam and I went through back then, I wouldn't wish either fate on my worst enemy to save my best friend. Scott's all I got left. If you love someone never let them become something they aren't."

Max went to STAR Labs a few days later. He told them "I'll join the legacy program. You can't force me to do anything and I want a copy of Sam's gear. Those are my terms."

They agreed on the condition he stopped picking on Scott, his senior in training. Max said "I can't, he's my little brother but if it makes you feel better I'll agree."

They gave him a copy of Scott's gear with colors reversed then Max told them "I'm not gonna train because living in the Mirror Dimension I've trained more than anyone on the planet. I've lived there so long, it's my home. And I'm not going to school. I missed too much already. I know this means I'm not in the program but I don't care. I really just wanted the gear, I won't change for anyone."

He's the Rogues' Mirror Master, using his gear from STAR Labs. He disobeys Multiplex by helping Scott but he always knocks Scott out to cover his tracks. What Max saw as Sam turned into a monster fuels him.

Theoretically Max could stop being Mirror Master if he saw that he was becoming exactly what Sam became. Even then Max is dedicated to being a true Mirror Master, to be the son Sam made him. There is no sure way to stop Max.

Max truly cares about Scott. He saw Sam become Mirror Master. He feels Sam died when he became Mirror Master and Mirror Master died in the reform program. This means Max feels and remembers most everything, making his desire even stronger.

A monster boy named Jay told some Leaguers "Max has never been blind to Mirror Master's bad side. Cold, you know the way to stop him is to show him he's becoming what he hates. Once you do he'll give up but the reform system won't work on him, he knows how it works."

Jay was pulled through the shiny floor, he said "You have to save him. Plea," He was gone, summoned for punishment and interrogated about his chat. Colonel Cold, formerly Cadet Cold quickly caught them up on his conversation with Max then he told them what he thinks Jay was saying about Max but he doesn't think they can use it.

Scott came in the room and told them about how Max had been helping him occasionally then beating him unconscious, he asked "Does that help?"

Cold said "Maybe. As Mirror Master he's your enemy but it seems as Max he helps you then he doesn't hurt you too badly he just knocks you out. Question is how do we use this?"

One day at STAR Labs, Max was handcuffed and sitting in a chair. Scott and Flash were there, Flash asked "How old were you guys when?"

Max said "How old were we when Sam went full Mirror Master? We're not the same, I'm older than him by what three or four years. I was 8 and Scott was 5, I think."

Scott said "You were in there for a decade, I knew you'd been in there for years."

Max said "I don't really know how old we were not even to the year. Not that it matters."

Flash said "It does matter."

Max said "It doesn't matter." He escaped the handcuffs, he said "It doesn't change the fact that you could've saved our dad. He was grieving the loss of our mom and he saw her in you. He was close to the edge and you could've saved him. Now I'll never get either of my parents back." He walked away, jumping into the Mirror Dimension.

Scott asked "Do you guys know what happened to my mom? I don't remember her. Heck I don't remember anything Max was talking about." The scientists looked it up.

Cisco Ramon said "It says she died when you were a baby, no wonder you can't remember her. I wonder if Max even remembers her or if he just knows she's dead." Flash got back from chasing Max while Cisco was talking.

Scott said "I think I can stop Max, the way Jay said. Max just said Sam used to care about me before he went over the edge. I bet Max used to care about Jay before he tipped us off."

Cisco said "Good idea except Max just made it pretty clear he hates you."

"He does, I know but I have to try." Scott went into the Mirror Dimension after Max. Scott confronted Max, he refused to fight back as Max wailed on him, "Stop, look at yourself. You turned on me and Jay, turned Cara into a Rogue. I'm trying to save you, I need to. You're on the edge, we lost Sam to the fall, I can't lose you too."

Max stopped, he said "You're right, I need help."

Scott said "Let's go back to the main lab, I'll help you but first."

Max said "Okay, this way." In the hall Scott handcuffed him after he took his jacket off, Scott went to put the jacket over his cuffs

Max said "Don't, just give it back to them in the lab." Scott walked Max to the main lab.

The scientists were amazed, Dr. Snow said "You did it."

Scott handed them the jacket, Max sat down in the chair they'd put him in earlier. Scott asked Cisco "Do you have the collar?"

Cisco said "Yeah, just give me a minute to calibrate it."

After the collar was on, Max said "You weren't this scared in the Mirror Dimension."

Scott said "I knew what I was doing in there. But a Rogue going down without a fight?"

Max said "It wasn't without a fight. Scott, you know you could've taken me anytime."

Scott said "What are you talking about?"

Max said "For what little it's worth I've always cared about you. I had at least 3 reasons for helping you with that big beast in Central City. We're brothers I didn't want you to get killed, your world's not ready to handle that thing."

Scott said "And three?"

Max said "I don't remember the third reason. Listen, believe it or not I regret not protecting you from Sam back then. I didn't see how I was hurting and how I was putting you through that again. Scott you hear me?"

Scott said "You could've filled me in on this sooner. Why didn't you?"

Max said "I only told Cadet Cold to show him I knew where he was coming from when he told me how he lost his sister Cara. I told you I couldn't see I was doing it but I'm serious about you beating me outside the Mirror Dimension."

Scott said "I'm not falling for it, I'm not," Eureka moment, "ca ca Cara. Did you say Cadet Cold confided in you about Cara? You knew who she was the whole time."

Max said "I wish I would've taken my own advice. I told Cadet Cold if you love someone never let them become something they're not. If I would've listened to my own advice I wouldn't have done what I did to Cara."

Colonel Cold came in, he said "No you wouldn't have but I should've told Scott about our whole conversation afterwards. I shouldn't have kept it from him or the League. We could've saved you."

Max said "It's funny, I went from blaming myself for not saving Sam to blaming Scott. That should've been a clear sign something wasn't right."

Colonel Cold handed the scientists an envelope, he said "Let's all start making up for our mistakes. You were an advanced agent keeping an eye on Cadet Cold for us after Multiplex blackmailed her into joining. As such your exonerated of all charges, all you have to do is file a full report of all you found related to the Rogues. Think you can handle it?" He uncuffed Max as he finished and the collar was disengaged.

Max said "Yeah but I wasn't an advanced agent."

Colonel Cold said "Yes you were, you helped us before joining the Rogues and you helped Major Mirror while with the Rogues. How do you explain that unless you were passing information?" Max saw what he was doing, Max stood up.

Cold added "Oh, being that this means you're on our side you have to help us catch the remaining Rogues."

Cold got close, he said "And you owe my sister an apology. You did play her for Multiplex."

Max said "Of course man, I already apologized to her like a few weeks ago."

He backed off "Yeah, right."

Max walked away, he said "Scott let's go get the other Rogues."

As he and Max left the building, Scott said "So how exactly did you plan to bring our dad back by becoming Mirror Master?"

Max grabbed Scott, he pushed him up against a wall "Don't get me wrong dad was a criminal before Mirror Master but he was always good to us. Sam wasn't a good man but he was great dad." He put his hand on Scott's shoulder as he backed off. Flash was running out the way they were, he was about to grab Max for pinning Scott but stopped when he heard what Max was saying.

Scott said "You didn't answer my question. How was you becoming Mirror Master supposed to bring him back?"

Max said "I wanted a second chance at saving him from Mirror Master and getting the dad I lost back. But I can't, our Sam is long gone and he's not coming back"

He continued on his way out with Scott following him, they went to the Rogues' secret hideouts which Max had no problem finding using the mirrored surfaces and slightly mirrored surfaces. Max helped capture them from the background making it look like Scott's doing it all.

Meanwhile Flash who'd heard what Max said, talked to the scientists about it without telling them what he heard. After their talk the scientists called Sam in, Sam worked as a security guard like the rest of the Rogues for STAR Labs.

As Sam came in he said "What's up?" then he saw Flash and corrected "You called me in. What's the problem?"

Dr. Snow answers "Do you remember your son Max?"

Sam said "I already told you guys last time I don't remember having either son."

Ronnie Raymond, Dr. Snow's husband said "Did you get hit hard on the head? Max said you raised both him and Sam on your own after their mom died."

Sam said "I don't remember having either son. I didn't know I had sons until you told me about them."

Cisco asked "Why didn't you file for custody after you found out about them? Leo did for his son."

Sam said "I didn't know that's an option."

Ronnie said "We're going to need you to stay here. Just as a test to see if Max is really serious about not being a Rogue anymore. Alright?"

Sam said "Yeah but I have my shift at the main building."

Dr. Harrison Wells, the head of the Central City branch of STAR Labs said "You're covered here."

Sam said "Okay then."

When Scott and Max got back Sam said "Hey Max."

Max said "Hey Sam."

Dr. Snow said "He's your dad."

Max gave up trying to explain it to them the minute he saw Sam was there, he used his powers to pull them into the Mirror Dimension. Once in he ran to where the real Mirror Master was, knowing they'd give chase. The real Mirror Master was stuck in one part of the Mirror Dimension because he was tied to one mirror.

Max said "He's my dad, he's the real Sam Scudder not your mirror replica. This is why my plan didn't work, Sam Scudder wasn't out there and if the reform program hadn't messed with his head. I'll show you how the reform program really works."

Scott said "Wait slow down. He's a mirror clone, he's the real Sam. Then what?"

Flash said "The reform program helps ex supervillains."

Max said "It makes them think they're crimes are wrong on a science level not society. It uses therapy to enforce the idea. Do you think the Joker accidentally got that cerebral whatever? They used it as a fix."

Scott said "So you saw Arkham use cerebral recog on the Joker to cure him. I can't believe it."

Max said "What dad can't recognize his kids? He's not our dad."

Scott said "Alright then prove it. If he's a mirror clone, make him go away nonviolently."

Security guard Sam said "Yeah do it."

"Fine," Max used his power to make the replica vanish.

Max said "Go ahead Scott, prove I didn't do what I just did."

Scott said "You did, I can sense it. Why? Why'd you wait to show me this?"

Max said "Don't get too full of yourself. I didn't do this to show you, the reform program needs to go out like electroshock therapy went out. Follow me I'll show you the truth."

He lead them to a mirror with a view of Belle View Prison's therapist's office where a reform session was going on. Max put his hand on the mirror to make the connection stronger so they could hear what the therapist was saying. To Flash's amazement the therapist was reinforcing the concept that what the villain had done was wrong according to scientific law, Max removed his hand.

Max said "I told you. Arkham's even worse but I don't think you're ready for that. I'm not filing that report, I was just trying to help others like me who had a parent's head was messed with by the reform program. You'll get all you need to shut it down, right?"

Flash said "Right."

Cisco said "This is wrong, the reform program is supposed to help everyone, this is wrong."

Max said "Which is why I had to do something about it. I'll take you back to your lab now. Follow me." He did what he said he was going to do.

Back in the main lab Max said "So what now?"

Flash said "Now you're in the legacy program, right?"

Max said "No. I'm not doing the legacy program, that's Scott's thing. I have an idea though. Hear me out on this. I'll go back to living in the Mirror Dimension like I did for all those years, not coming back to Earth, not being Mirror Master here."

Colonel Cold said "Why wouldn't we agree to that?"

Max said "All those monsters heroes sent to other dimensions, come back to Earth and no more sending anything or anyone into another dimension if anyone does I'll send them back. Deal?"

Ronnie said "I think we can make that work."

Flash said "I don't think that's a fair deal. What do you get out of it Max? It's self exile."

Max said "I already told you, back when we first worked together on the big beast attacking the city. Thing is even though I'm not using the name, Scott you're not Mirror Master. That's a deal breaker, if you use the name then deal's off. Okay?"

Scott said "It's my name if you're not using it. It's my birthright."

Max said "The law disagrees, as the eldest adult son of Sam Scudder I have the right to the name. In fact, you wouldn't have rights to the name anyway since Sam's not dead. Got a problem, take it up with the law. Okay?"

Scott said "I don't have a choice."

Max said "Now you're getting it, Major Mirror." He looked around "I guess I'm gone now." He sunk into the floor, summoning Jay.

Max said "Everything's in place. They took the deal. Flash acted like he cared about how unfair it is to me but we both know he's not serious."

Jay said "Does he know? Do any of them know? Who I am? Who I was?" Sounding worried.

Max said "I doubt it, Scott was worried about you. If he knew the truth he wouldn't be."

Jay said "Alright, everything's set on my end. Should we notify him?"

Max said "I will notify him when it's time. You are to do nothing of the sort. Time to release the legions on to Central City. This time they fight for Rogues not heroes."

Jay said "Just like we planned." Jay left to assemble and prepare the legions while Max prepared his mind for what he needed to do, what he was about to do.

Jay returned, he said "It's time."

Max said "Show me." Jay lead Max to the legions of monsters who'd been banished from Earth.

Max said "I'm going to release you all on the urban metropolis that's Central City. There you will punish the humans for banishing you. I will join you later, until then do what you do best." Max opened the portals throughout the area unleashing the legions on Earth. Max assembled the Rogues' army of criminals in the same place sending Jay through to everyone to retrieve them.

Max said to the criminals "It's time for all of you to band together. Go through the portals to Central City and do what you do best, crime." He opened the portals, the legions stormed through. As soon as everyone was out Max walked away, he went to a more centered part of the dimension to take a nap.

Meanwhile legions of monsters and criminals were running rampant on Central City. The Justice League called an all hands on deck.

Returning from a battle Colonel Boomerang said "This is funny."

Nightwing said "Enlighten me. What part of this is funny?"

Boomerang said "Max said he'd release all the monsters heroes sent to other dimensions, criminals are called monsters. The irony is funny. It's like the monsters from other dimensions attracted the monsters from ours."

The Justice League eventually decided to focus on evacuating civilians, two monsters had been doing that all along taking the people to connecting cities, leaving them on rooftops, flying down parallel to the buildings before leveling off and flying away to attracted attention. The Leaguers tried to capture these monsters who they thought were abducting the people. The monsters couldn't talk so they couldn't explain and instead ignored the heroes, continuing their work. Quickly after the initial two wave attack the monsters moved out of the city attacking suburbs and other places outside the main city, though the monster evacuators probably could've fought the other monsters.

As the days trudged on, Leaguers slept in chairs because the beds were too far and most had been taken as gurneys. Major Mirror reminisced "This reminds me of the day Max helped us with that huge beast. In fact I think I saw that monster the other day, Superman was fighting it or something. I don't think we would've won that fight without Max, but we can't ask for his help because of the deal."

Kid Flash said "Really, so your brother must have sent all these monsters our way."

Major Mirror said "No way, he, he, he can't. He can't send this many monsters. Using the Mirror Dimension to travel takes a toll on us, he could never make a portal strong enough to let through so many."

Kid Flash said "How do you know? Max is stronger than you."

Major Mirror said "This city is all that's left of the good part of his childhood, he wouldn't want to disrespect our dead mom. He wouldn't do this to our hometown. Now let's get some sleep." They ran back to their nearest League outpost, fighting off monsters on the way.

As they got inside Kid Flash said "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I shouldn't have ran my mouth like that."

Major Mirror said "Don't worry about it. Running your mouth faster than your feet is a Flash signature move."

Nightwing said "You're late."

Major Mirror said "We got sidetracked by a few monsters. No fuss besides I think I know a way to end this. I'm gonna run it by a strategist, who's on duty?"

Nightwing said "That'd be me."

Major Mirror said "No seriously who's on? You're not a League strategist Nightwing."

Nightwing said "It's really me, with there being a crisis and all I just got certified."

Major Mirror said "Okay, Kid Flash you should go to the lounge I'll meet you there." Kid Flash ran off, most of the rooms were repurposed, the cafeteria was repurposed for sleep.

Major Mirror said "Max's deal is he stays in the Mirror Dimension, all banished monsters are released and no more traveling into other Dimensions. I may have solution but the League's hands are tied. Am I right about the deal so far?"

Nightwing said "Yeah you are. What's the solution?"

Major Mirror said "As Mirror Master's son I can travel into his dimension without breaking our end of the deal. I'll try to talk to, to get him to see it our way."

Nightwing said "Okay, go for it."

Major Mirror said "Okay." He traveled through the metal wall into the cafeteria, which proved he could use the Mirror Dimension.

Major Mirror said to Kid Flash "I gotta go, I got my plan approved."

Kid Flash said "Okay." Major Mirror sunk through the floor, he found Mirror Master (Max).

Scott said "Max."

Max said "We agreed you guys would stay out."

Scott said "I'm your brother, we both use this dimension. We need to talk about the monsters."

Max said "I told you I was going to do it."

Scott said "You released them all on our now overrun hometown. We're so overwhelmed we can't tell good from bad not like the army cares. Central City lost half it's people, help me save the beasts from ending up the same. Most of the dead are innocents. Help me save lives."

Max said "Alright but quid pro quo. I need a trustworthy Leaguer on the record saying the beasts won't be harmed, exploited or killed and that the League will base arrangements on fair evaluations. Beasts like people can learn when given the chance. Deal?"

Scott said "I'm kinda new so no promises on what the League can or will do but I'll try. The League can't make any record if we're busy defending people from an invasion. Can you?"

Max said "Fine, I get some beasts may be dead and I need proof of the agreement. Scott, can you look into getting Sam help."

Scott said "Sam's my dad, of course I'll get him help. The League might need an inside man in Belle View to get proof of malpractice. Who better than Mirror Master?"

Max said "Thanks. Now let's get to work on the deal. You show me proof we'll be good. By trustworthy I mean Superman, Flash, Green Lantern not Batman or Nightwing."

Scott said "Okay."

Major Mirror went back to the mirror he came in through as Max started pulling the monsters.

Major Mirror radioed "Justice League summit, now."

At the meeting Major Mirror said "Max pulled the monsters back but he wants something in return."

Kid Flash said "That guy is always making deals. What'd we agree to this time?"

Major Mirror said "Nothing and you're not even an official member of the League. Max wants the Justice League to be held accountable."

Kid Flash interrupted again "For what, did the League somehow kill his dad too?"

Major Mirror said "Stop interrupting or get out of here, you shouldn't be here in the first place. Flash's here so you don't need to be."

Superman said "Major, you were saying."

Major Mirror said "Max wants us to evaluate them and make arrangements accordingly. Everyone here knows about the two who were evacuating the city, they were good. He doesn't want any of them killed, harmed or exploited. Harmed meaning inhumane treatment and exploited meaning their powers. He wants us accountable for them. As far as I can tell, Max has only seen the bad of things. I think considering everything what Max is asking for is fair."

Superman said "I agree, Max made some good points."

Major Mirror said "Good because he wants a record of the agreement, and he asked for proof that a founding member like you agreed to it. He actually named you, Flash and Green Lantern specifically when he asked for it. I guess he wants indisputable proof so the League can't back out."

Superman said "That was smart of Max."

Kid Flash said "I think he wants to be called Mirror Master since he's 19 and a legacy it's his right."

Superman said "I'll sign off on it for Mirror Master."

Major Mirror said "Okay, but I've been recording this since you got KF to shut up. Just to be clear?"

Superman said "I agree on the accountability thing and the no killing or exploiting."

Major Mirror said "The no harming is a big thing with him, I think. Quoting Max he said 'Beasts like people can learn when given the chance.' That's how I figured what he meant by harm. So I think it's safe to assume no harming is gonna be a deal breaker with him."

Superman said "I'd agree to it but I can't promise he won't see something we consider small or needed as us breaking our end of the deal."

Major Mirror said "I'll tell him to specify but I don't think he'll need much convincing. He can see through the portals in his dimension to ours so I think he saw our fighting as necessary. Unnecessary is like experimentation, basically what we deem inhumane by legal standards. So you agree if I'm right."

Superman said "Right."

Major Mirror said "Then I think you've gotten exploitation in there and we don't have a problem with that condition."

Colonel Cold said "Flash, can you catch everyone up on what Max showed us in the Mirror Dimension the day we made the last deal? I'm not really sure how to explain that."

Flash said "Sure. The reform program at Belle View, Max showed us what the therapist is doing for it. The therapist is convincing the convicts that everything they've been convicted of is wrong on a scientific level which would make it physically impossible."

Colonel Cold said "I mean what the convicts did is wrong but not scientifically."

Flash said "Right. He also showed us that the Sam Scudder that Belle View reformed was a sentient replica not Max's biological father. The Sam Scudder who fathered Max is trapped in a part of the Mirror Dimension."

Major Mirror said "As far as I understand it, he's tied to one of the portals, trapping him in that specific place. Max actually brought it up when we talked so he's not gonna say we broke our end of the deal if we go in to help."

Colonel Cold said "I think there's a way to solve both problems. After getting Sam out without killing him, send him into Belle View so we can prove the therapist's malpractice. Two birds one stone, we get Sam out and bust the therapist for malpractice."

Colonel Boomerang said "Good idea, eh both of you."

Batman said "I think we can handle that but first let's deal with the monster problem. Do you have Superman agreeing on record?"

Major Mirror said "Yeah, I just need to transfer it into something Max can play it on then we're good."

Superman said "We're done then." Everyone headed out. Scott took the record to Max.

Scott said to Max "Here, Superman agreed to it as soon as I finished explaining it. Just to be clear by no harming you mean no experimentation or inhumane treatment."

Max said "And no provoking them, yeah."

Scott said "Just checking. What you just described is inhumane treatment by legal standards. By the way, the League is going to need you to not release all the monsters at once because that'd make this all completely pointless. Can I ask you a questions Max? About our parents, what were they like? Did dad always play favorites? What was mom like? Am I exempt from the no going into other dimensions rule? Can I come here?"

Max said "That's more than one question, our parents were our parents. Before you were born mom almost didn't want me to know dad because he was a simple criminal. You were in diapers when she died so imagine what you want. Dad playing favorites I think that started after mom died 'cause you reminded him of her. Dad tried to be a good honest man for mom. Her death is probably is what first pushed him to becoming Mirror Master. Scott yes you can come to this dimension. That answer your questions?"

Scott said "Yeah it does." It was what therapists called progress, Scott left satisfied.


End file.
